Old Gadfly: Gentlemen, what is fascism?
IM (an American citizen with
an inquiring mind): Dictionary.com defines fascism as “a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing
opposition and
criticism, regimenting
all industry,
commerce, etc.,
and emphasizing
an aggressive
nationalism and
often racism.”
AM (an American combat aviator
with an inquiring mind): That system is present in America. The man who occupies the most powerful office
in the world, who claimed the midterm elections were not about him but his
policies, completely dismisses the Americans who voted against those policies
and claims he “heard” those who did not
vote—justifying in his egomaniac mind an imaginary mandate to dictate the
policies he, the omniscient one,
deems damn well to institute. For
example, while frequently claiming he lacked the authority to initiate new
policies on immigration, he did so anyway, indicating he has no respect or need
for Congress, and by implication the Constitution. As I speak, thousands
of new federal jobs are being created to accelerate amnesty. In our
last discussion, we discussed the clear political purpose and implications for
the executive action.
IM: Yet, if we take a close look at the other
elements of the definition, there are vivid examples. For instance, look at “forcibly suppressing opposition
and criticism.” Remember what happened
to Joe
the plumber? There was a deliberate
attempt to discredit him for his public opposition to candidate Obama’s plan to
redistribute wealth.
AM: The
dictator’s silence on the IRS suppression of conservative voices speaks volumes. We read or hear very little about this case
from mainstream media, except for Fox
News, which is not a credible news source according to the White House (and
virtually all progressives).
Old Gadfly: Why do you think this is the case?
IM: It is no secret that there are powerful
connections between the White House and media. But few Americans know about it, which is why
the media gets away with its tremendously slanted news reporting (see also here,
here,
and here). Unfortunately, accountability for those in
the club is difficult under this Administration (see here
and here).
How about the Justice Department’s prosecutorial
discretion in prosecuting
Dinesh D’Souza for a $30,000 campaign contribution, when charlatan Al
Sharpton gets away with $4.5 million in income tax evasion? The media had a heyday
with a Congressional staffer who made comments about the dictator’s children.
Old Gadfly: Yet some “watchdog” news does get out. What does General
Petraeus know that keeps a two-year FBI investigation open?
AM: Good question on Petraeus. I’ll venture a guess. Remember, Petraeus was the CIA Director
during the Benghazi scandal. While the
Administration lied to the American public about the attack being mob-related
(to get reelected), there is so much more to unravel in this case such as deliberate
relations with al Qaeda affiliates, gun running operations to support elements in
Syria, and so forth. Petraeus knows too
much and must be muzzled.
Old Gadfly: Thoughts on the definition’s “regimenting all
industry and commerce”?
IM: Look at the healthcare industry—it represents
one-sixth of our economy and a motivation value that operates at Maslow’s two
lowest levels: physical safety and
security. This regimentation took
control of a major portion of our economy and imposed uncertainty and fear in
the minds of millions of people.
Old Gadfly: How about public education?
IM: Now I am learning that when federal subsidies
for Medicaid dry up in 2017, the impact will be on state-funded public
education. In other words, the millions
that signed up for federally subsidize Medicaid will become a state taxpayer
burden if the same levels of support are maintained. Most likely another large budget item—public education—will
become a target for potential budget cuts.
We can also go on about the energy industry’s winners (inefficient and
costly green energy) and losers (fossil fuel energy). Now, we have the EPA threatening to regulate
all water in the United States. I also
could go on and on about labor laws, equal opportunity regulations, and so
forth—pathetic attempts to regulate commerce while accelerating a race to the
bottom in terms of talent, innovation, and creativity.
AM: The image these circumstances create in my
mind is pigeon chess with the dictator acting as the pigeon, strutting across and
defecating on the chess board--our once great nation--with his chest all puffed
up.
Old Gadfly: How about the notion of nationalism?
IM: Obama has always campaigned with his
signature symbol, which represents his
idea of America as a nation.
Old Gadfly: Tell me about “Obama for America.”
IM: During his presidential campaign, Obama for
America was his website for organizing action.
Today, the same website, www.ofa.org, stands
for “Organizing for America.” Isn’t that
ironic? Before his meteoric rise in
public office, he was a Saul Alinsky-trained community organizer. The tactic was simple: agitate and organize. It helps to be a good speaker that can reach
the common person at the emotional level.
Just yesterday, I read a similar tactic quoted in Wikipedia:
Propaganda must always address itself
to the broad masses of the people. . . . All propaganda must be presented in a
popular form and must fix its intellectual level so as not to be above the
heads of the least intellectual of those to whom it is directed. . . . The art
of propaganda consists precisely in being able to awaken the imagination of the
public through an appeal to their feelings, in finding the appropriate
psychological form that will arrest the attention and appeal to the hearts of
the national masses. The broad masses of the people are not made up of
diplomats or professors of public jurisprudence nor simply of persons who are
able to form reasoned judgment in given cases, but a vacillating crowd of human
children who are constantly wavering between one idea and another. . . . The
great majority of a nation is so feminine in its character and outlook that its
thought and conduct are ruled by sentiment rather than by sober reasoning. This
sentiment, however, is not complex, but simple and consistent. It is not highly
differentiated, but has only the negative and positive notions of love and
hatred, right and wrong, truth and falsehood.
Old Gadfly: How did Wikipedia cite the source for the
quote?
IM:
These words were written by Adolph Hitler in Chapter VI, Volume One of Mein Kampf.[1] As Hitler exploited the need for hope and
change, he amplified a bigger than life persona. The following graphic shows two scenes (one
in 1936 and the other in 2008) broadcasting a bigger than life image.
Old Gadfly: Hitler had a vision for transforming
Germany. What was his strategy?
IM:
The strategy’s central weapon was propaganda. As to the methods to be employed, Hitler
further explained in Mein Kampf:
Propaganda must not investigate the
truth objectively and, in so far as it is favourable to the other side, present
it according to the theoretical rules of justice; yet it must present only that
aspect of the truth which is favourable to its own side. . . . The receptive
powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On
the other hand, they quickly forget. Such being the case, all effective
propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be
expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. These slogans should be
persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea
that has been put forward. . . Every change that is made in the subject of a
propagandist message must always emphasize the same conclusion. The leading
slogan must of course be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but
in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula.
AM: The current State-sanctioned narrative on the
Ferguson incident is a clear example of this form of propaganda.
Old Gadfly: I think we can also see how race, in fascism’s
definition, is an obvious part of the overall strategy.
IM: Sadly, as I waded through the Wikipedia
article, I could not help but notice how important it was for Hitler to
disseminate cheap radios so the masses could hear him speak. Obama’s massive use of social media
(Facebook, twitter, etc.), not to mention the constant coverage by leftist
mainstream media venues, has been an important tool in making sure the public
only hears Obama’s story.
AM: Quite frankly, just as in Hitler’s day,
people buy in to this crap, and too many of those who don’t are afraid to do
anything about it.
Old Gadfly: It would be hard to rebut the notion that
fascism is in fact alive in America.
Yet, I am convinced that if we can find a way to reach enough “true
Americans,” we can turn this around.
IM: It would help to have a strategy or at least
a goal to unify efforts.
Old Gadfly: One such effort underway is the Article V
movement, where States push for a convention of states for the purpose of
proposing amendments to the Constitution.
The Convention of States Project (ConventionofStates.org) is one particular
effort that focuses on fiscal responsibility, power and jurisdiction, and term
limits. We do not have the time to
discuss the project in detail here, but I encourage you to visit their website
and get involved. There is nothing to
lose yet potentially a lot to be gained in rebalancing the power in our federal
system. People often forget that the
States created the federal government with specific, enumerated powers
delegated to it. Over time the federal
government has forgotten this relationship.
And now we see the damage that is being done.
AM: I am amazed.
As outraged as I see nonprogressives becoming, you are advocating a peaceful,
constitutional approach to solving the problem.
Occasionally, I hear people mentioning the possibility of a revolution.
Old Gadfly: We have enough truly educated and discerning
Americans who appreciate the tremendous prosperity and peace made possible in a
Constitutional Republic. Now, they see
the political corruption that results from violating our founding principles. We have a moral obligation to act in a
reasonable and constructive manner to preserve our Constitutional Republic. Otherwise, the American ideal and all the
goodness it represents will be overcome by forces of evil.
[1] The
English translation of Hitler’s Mein Kampf is available at the Gutenberg
Project at http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200601.txt.
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